Browning leaf tips?
- Thread starter vaibatron
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vaibatron
Shohin
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GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Probably buried a bit to deep - check this article though as it covers a lot of possible causes - http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020526&slug=homegard26
Grimmy
cbroad
Omono
Hello my RVA neighbor! Looks like an azalea, right? I work at a local nursery and I see that on our azaleas sometimes in the summer when we've been keeping them too wet. It's probably fungal and probably a soil issue, luckily it doesn't look like phytophthora which can be hard to get rid of, the symptoms can take a little bit to show and once they do the plant is usually too far gone to treat.
Our azaleas are usually pretty dense and sometimes they're crammed together. We overhead water at night and all those plants touching and with poor airflow can spread diseases quickly. We also keep them in full sun.
What's your soil composition like and how often are you watering?
What kind of light are you giving it?
Not ruling out fertilizer burn, are you foliar feeding?
Cbroad
Our azaleas are usually pretty dense and sometimes they're crammed together. We overhead water at night and all those plants touching and with poor airflow can spread diseases quickly. We also keep them in full sun.
What's your soil composition like and how often are you watering?
What kind of light are you giving it?
Not ruling out fertilizer burn, are you foliar feeding?
Cbroad
vaibatron
Shohin
RVA represent!
Yea it's an early blooming variety. I have since moved them out of direct sunlight and it seems to be helping a bit, but also making watering a bit more tricky.
I Have not been foliar feeding, was doing miracid every 2-3 weeks or so. These were severely cut bck and repotted this spring so I was sure to not start feeding until I saw some bush! It may be a fertilizer issue but I highly doubt it.
The soil is 70% turface 30% pine bark. It's weird only 2 are showing this, the rest seem happy.
Thanks for the response! Glad to see more Richmond folk joining in on the nuthouse!
cbroad
Omono
How are they doing now, i guess its been two weeks since the first post, are any more leaves effected? Yeah, I'd back off the watering a little bit since you're using turface and pinebark, and since you moved them out of direct sun they might have a harder time with the excess moisture.
You might try a fungicide as a soil drench too just to be on the safe side. When ours do that, the leaves start shedding pretty bad and the plant seems to shut down and stop growing. It's hard to tell what the original issue was, were they too wet and started shedding or did they start shedding and that's why they're too wet? When customers come in with a plant issue I usually try to assess the watering schedule and soil composition and light exposure, and usually it's too much water and not enough drainage.
Our humidity sucks in Richmond, especially since we've had days in the 100s with over 70% humidity, fungus can run rampant.
You might try a fungicide as a soil drench too just to be on the safe side. When ours do that, the leaves start shedding pretty bad and the plant seems to shut down and stop growing. It's hard to tell what the original issue was, were they too wet and started shedding or did they start shedding and that's why they're too wet? When customers come in with a plant issue I usually try to assess the watering schedule and soil composition and light exposure, and usually it's too much water and not enough drainage.
Our humidity sucks in Richmond, especially since we've had days in the 100s with over 70% humidity, fungus can run rampant.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
If it's an azalea...they don't like to dry out. Seen you mentioned you are letting them dry out considerably. Is it a Satsuki Azalea? You may wish to repot next year into 100% kanuma. That is their known favored substrate for them by most.
vaibatron
Shohin
No kidding on the humidity!
They aren't any worse, perhaps a little better. Just keeping a close eye on the water, but as you know with these nightly storms and high humidity/little day wind, it ain't easy.
A fungicide is my next move if I see things turning any farther in the wrong direction.
Which nursery do you work at? I've got only 4 guesses
vaibatron
Shohin
Sorry for the confusion! I guess considerably is a relative term here. I never let them get fully dry, just waited a bit longer to water.
Not satzuki, an early blooming variety of some sort. The nursery that I purchased from is "considerably" lax on labeling
... Or even pricing for that matter?Good people, great material.. Just out to lunch most of the time.
Is kanuma good for other varieties of azalea?
vaibatron
Shohin
Do you have a recommendation for fert?
I make my own with 30 blood and bone and 70 soy bean meal and form into cakes and let dry until rock hard. You can then use as is or crush for smaller quicker acting particles.
2 cakes 1.5 inch square for an 8 x 5 inch pot once every 8 weeks is enough.
Less than half that amount monthly if you crush into powder.
AJL
Chumono
- I suggest you avoid overhead watering, and use rainwater not mains water .
- Cut back on fertilizer-If you bought it recently the nursery compost is probably loaded with slow release fertiliser already!
- Giving supplimentary occasional feeds with Iron Sequestrene is good for all ericaceous plants.
- Ensure you space the plant well clear from adjacent plants to improve air circulation and keep out of strong direct sunshine if the foliage is wet.
- As a precaution against pathogens including Phytophthora remove and bin all affected leaves and any fallen leaves from the soil surface.
- Also worth disinfecting your pruning tools and hands after doing any pruning and before handling any other plants(use a simple alcohol-based hand gel)
RedJamesBonsai
Sapling
I am having the same problem . This has happened in the last couple days. Was out there taking a picture of it. Then next day I noticed some of the lower leafs now some of the uppers are turning
cbroad
Omono
No kidding on the humidity!
They aren't any worse, perhaps a little better. Just keeping a close eye on the water, but as you know with these nightly storms and high humidity/little day wind, it ain't easy.
A fungicide is my next move if I see things turning any farther in the wrong direction.
Which nursery do you work at? I've got only 4 guesses
At least it doesn't seem to be spreading... If the new growth and the whole leaf is a uniform brown/light yellow color than it's probably not enough water, if the leaf margins are the same color than it's probably desiccated from wind and not enough water, but if a portion of the leaf is discolored or dark brown/black or splotchy than it's probably fungal/bacterial and likely caused by over watering.
I would avoid watering unless it needs it, and avoid over head watering and supply good airflow through the plant. Like AJL said, it's a good idea to bag up all foliage that comes off the plant and sterilize your equipment.
I work at The Great Big Greenhouse, hopefully you didn't have too much trouble if you came to my store, though this time of year people are always hiding from the heat...
I'm in California and my satsuki is doing the exact same thing, I stopped fertilizing and switched to distilled water since the water here is really hard. Cut back most of the effective leaves but still older leaves and some of the newer growth is browning at the tips
Attachments
Eric Group
Masterpiece
Might be sun burn. Looks different to me than the OP's issue.
JFTR, I strongly disagree with people implying OVER watering is the culprit here. Azaleas love water. I water mine every day of the week (sometimes twice a day) and they thrive! If the concern is overhead watering leading to fungal problems on the leaves, it could be possible I suppose, but there are a dozen sprays you can buy that would prevent, treat and cure these issues- along with the basic black spot that plagues Azaleas, and most the bugs that affect them as well. They are generally quite tough and easy to care for. Buy a good fungicide/ insecticide... I recommend Neem oil. It is organic, mild and treats so many ailments! If you need something more, you can always go stronger later...
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I have seen this on my azalea also. Lots of brown tips about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Increased my watering and the tree looks much better. Texas weather has also dropped in temps. Mine is in kanuma with some pine fines mixed into the top layer. Still a few brown tips here and there but hard to find now. 3 weeks ago they were all over.
This is what I can find now.
This is what I can find now.
